Neighbours tell of their shock after bomb squad called to 'quiet' Sheffield flats

Neighbours have spoken of their shock after the army’s bomb squad rushed to a ‘quiet’ block of Sheffield flats after police found several suspicious items.
By Steve Jones
Published 25th Jan 2021, 15:50 GMT
Updated 25th Jan 2021, 15:51 GMT
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Officers discovered ‘a number of’ items during a raid at a flat on Lowedges Road at around 6am this morning, which resulted in the army’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team being called in to establish any potential risk.

The two people arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm – a man aged 46 and a woman aged 53 – are a couple who live together, according to neighbours. They remain in police custody.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One 30-year-old woman, who only gave her name as Melissa, said: “The people who live there, they are quiet, they keep themselves to themselves.

Two police officers stood guard at the entrance to the flats on Lowedges Road.Two police officers stood guard at the entrance to the flats on Lowedges Road.
Two police officers stood guard at the entrance to the flats on Lowedges Road.

"It’s not bad at this end. Lowedges can have a bit of a reputation but there’s not been anything bad since I’ve been here.”

Linda Hill, aged 62, who lives a few doors down from the flat that was raided, added: “It’s not too bad around here.

”Usually the other end of Lowedges Road is quite bad, this end is usually OK.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another neighbour, who did not want to give her name, said: “They [police] were taking bits out of the house, it looked like books or something.”

Two police officers emerged from the flat at around 2.30pm carrying a laptop while another two officers guarded the entrance to the block.

Another neighbour, who did not give her name, said: “The police just keep coming and going.

"All they told me is that it’s nothing to worry about.”

Another man who lives on the road added: “There’s a lot of conflicting things [we are hearing]. Someone said it was a World War Two bomb then someone else said it was a firearm.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Kelsey Hardman, aged 30, who has lived on Lowedges Road for seven years, added: “The flats are quiet, very quiet. It’s all different ages of people who live there.

"It’s fairly quiet around here. I thought the police would have informed everyone what’s been happening but they haven’t.”

A cordon was put in place at the property this morning – which has since been lifted – but no evacuations of neighbouring addresses were required.

Police said there is no wider risk to the public.